2008 pathology applicants

[Tiki]

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I know I shouldn't complain since I've gotten some interviews, but I really want one from UVa, Duke or Hopkins. 🙁

 

[Rbrav]

I know I shouldn't complain since I've gotten some interviews, but I really want one from UVa, Duke or Hopkins. 🙁

I hear ya. I really really want interviews at Emory and MUSC. Some people have already gotten invites there. I'm just hoping it's because my transcript isn't out yet.

 

[Tiki]

I hear ya. I really really want interviews at Emory and MUSC. Some people have already gotten invites there. I'm just hoping it's because my transcript isn't out yet.

MUSC won't review you till your transcript is in, so don't panic yet. I think when I recieved my Emory invite, my app was complete as well, so that is probably what is holding you up.

I'll wish you a Emory interview if you wish me a UVa interview. 😀

 

[Rbrav]

MUSC won't review you till your transcript is in, so don't panic yet. I think when I recieved my Emory invite, my app was complete as well, so that is probably what is holding you up.

I hope so. I'm taking the month off to study for Step 2, which means lots of time to dwell on this crap. I'm going crazy.

I'll wish you a Emory interview if you wish me a UVa interview. 😀

Deal!

 

[docbiohazard]

I hear ya. I really really want interviews at Emory and MUSC. Some people have already gotten invites there. I'm just hoping it's because my transcript isn't out yet.

Finally getting my transcript sent out definitely opened up the gates in terms of interviews. Of course it also depends on how often an individual institution meets to select new invites, etc.

Hang in there, hope everyone gets what they want.
BH

 

[oxygen]

I know I shouldn't complain since I've gotten some interviews, but I really want one from UVa, Duke or Hopkins. 🙁

I checked my crystal ball and you are among the first group that will get invitation from Duke.😀

 

[docbiohazard]

Mmmm I haven't had an invite since Friday, I'm going through withdrawal... 🙂

Considering adding U of Chicago and Vanderbilt... That would bring my total to 17... decisions decisions...

BH

 

[oxygen]

Mmmm I haven't had an invite since Friday, I'm going through withdrawal... 🙂

Considering adding U of Chicago and Vanderbilt... That would bring my total to 17... decisions decisions...

BH

Can I borrow some? I need 3 to 4 programs. Thanks.

 

[mlw03]

has anyone heard from Duke (beyond the "we got your application" email), or heard of others getting interview invites from Duke? i just heard from UNC-Chapel Hill and I'd like to make a single trip to the area if possible, so it'd be nice to know if Duke's started sending out invites yet or not.

 

[mlw03]

has anyone heard from Duke (beyond the "we got your application" email), or heard of others getting interview invites from Duke? i just heard from UNC-Chapel Hill and I'd like to make a single trip to the area if possible, so it'd be nice to know if Duke's started sending out invites yet or not.

nevermind

 

[Tiki]

I checked my crystal ball and you are among the first group that will get invitation from Duke.😀

I got my Duke interview, so thanks!!!

YAY for Duke!!!😍 😍

The only places I'm really waiting to hear from at this point is UVa, Hopkins and the New York schools. I've given up on the Brigham, I think I'm not research oriented enough for them.

 

[mlw03]

I got my Duke interview, so thanks!!!

YAY for Duke!!!😍 😍

The only places I'm really waiting to hear from at this point is UVa, Hopkins and the New York schools. I've given up on the Brigham, I think I'm not research oriented enough for them.

tiki seems like a female version of me - we seem to be getting almost the same interviews. i too have pretty much given up on BWH, MGH also, because I don't think i'm research oriented enough myself. UVa I've given up on for other reasons, I'm holding out hope for JHU.

 

[Tiki]

tiki seems like a female version of me - we seem to be getting almost the same interviews. i too have pretty much given up on BWH, MGH also, because I don't think i'm research oriented enough myself. UVa I've given up on for other reasons, I'm holding out hope for JHU.

Don't give up on MGH yet, it might still be coming. I just got my MGH interview and several people got it way before me. Maybe they just work through the apps slower.

 

[King Arthur]

I don't see any reason to give up on anywhere yet. It's still very early in the game.

 

[vr4nut]

I don't see any reason to give up on anywhere yet. It's still very early in the game.

Ditto. There was one program that didn't send my invite on the first day, but it came about a week after everyone else's. But it still came. Now there are more that are up that have yet to invite me. Besides, before too long, many people who are overbooked will start cancelling interviews, opening up spots for more interested applicants. Hopefully everyone will have the courtesy and ability to cancel far enough in advance that the next most qualified applicant can still get a reasonable price on plane tickets.

It seems to me that the big-name places got their stuff out in a hurry, while a lot of the smaller places haven't even started looking at apps yet (or JUST downloaded them 🙄)

 

[mlw03]

this is prompted by something in the interview thread, but i thought it'd be more appropriate to discuss here. just out of curiosity, are ya'll finding most places providing for 1 night in a hotel? all but 2 programs have made such an offer, and i think it's very nice. any chance to save some money is appreciated, and programs know that we're not going to turn down an interview at a place we're really interested in over a hotel bill, so it's really them doing something they don't have to. and i'm appreciative.

 

[mlw03]

Don't give up on MGH yet, it might still be coming. I just got my MGH interview and several people got it way before me. Maybe they just work through the apps slower.

i guess i meant it more in the sense that even if they invite me, i just don't know how good a fit i would be for their program. i mean, half their residents are md/phd, and i'm guessing most of the rest are pretty into research as well, and that's not me. i want a career that'll focus on clinical service in whatever area of pathology i end up choosing to focus on, while i would think that most MGH, Stanford, and other research heavyweights produce pathologists with strong academic foci and an emphasis on publishing.

like tiki wrote in the interview thread, there's only so much time for interviewing, and i think we applicants need to focus on going to places we think we'd be most likely to fit in, and for me, weird as it may sound, i think there's a lot of places i'd fit in better than MGH.

 

[yaah]

Don't discount MGH - I am not a bench researcher nor do I have a PhD, but I really liked MGH and they liked me, and many of their graduates go into private practice. MGH is very diagnostically oriented and most residents come out being excellent in that area.

 

[mlw03]

what do ya'll think about activities listed as optional on the interview day's itinerary? things like conferences for the residents or sign-out with faculty and/or residents. on the one hand i'd like to attend to see what those things are like at a place i'm considering, but on the other i don't want to see like an odd gunner. how do my fellow applicants feel about this? any thoughts from the upper level residents about what the common behavior is?

 

[docbiohazard]

what do ya'll think about activities listed as optional on the interview day's itinerary? things like conferences for the residents or sign-out with faculty and/or residents. on the one hand i'd like to attend to see what those things are like at a place i'm considering, but on the other i don't want to see like an odd gunner. how do my fellow applicants feel about this? any thoughts from the upper level residents about what the common behavior is?

I want to know everything I can about a program, and since I can't really do any away rotations due to my unique schedule, I am psyched whenever I hear about opportunities to go to sign out and the like...

I wouldn't worry about appearing to be a gunner, I'd worry more about appearing to be disinterested by not attending. If you don't have a flight conflict or something, I'd go. I'm finding it ridiculously hard to get a decent flight into NC on any sort of timeframe. 😛

BH

 

[Aubrey]

what do ya'll think about activities listed as optional on the interview day's itinerary? things like conferences for the residents or sign-out with faculty and/or residents. on the one hand i'd like to attend to see what those things are like at a place i'm considering, but on the other i don't want to see like an odd gunner. how do my fellow applicants feel about this? any thoughts from the upper level residents about what the common behavior is?

Try to take the opportunity to do extra stuff like this whenever your schedule will allow it.. you can learn many things about a program by watching the way residents interact with other residents, and with attendings that you would never pick up on in a generic interview setting.

As to appearing like an odd gunner-type, just use your basic social skills.. If you go out for beers with the residents, don't get sloppy drunk and act sketchy. If you sit in on signouts, you aren't expected to get all (or any) of the questions right.. Try to relax and enjoy your interviews, hard though it may seem!

 

[mlw03]

thanks for the thoughts, guys. i agree you can pick up a lot simply by watching how residents and faculty interact with one another. i think i can behave "normally" and i want to take advantage of every opportunity to check out each program.

 

[yaah]

I don't think anyone will hold it against you if you can't stay the extra hour for the conference (if it's an option) - people have to catch flights, etc.

You won't seem a gunner if you stick around to go to a conference or sit in on signout, or whatever.

 

[JPR22]

taking this thread in a different direction, how many interviews should on go to to safely match (assuming you rank every program you interview at) ? Ive got 2 interviews so far, but havent hear from anyone in 2 weeks! i applied to alot of programs, when should I worry?

 

[Purpura]

taking this thread in a different direction, how many interviews should on go to to safely match (assuming you rank every program you interview at) ? Ive got 2 interviews so far, but havent hear from anyone in 2 weeks! i applied to alot of programs, when should I worry?

I have read somewhere 5 interviews is a minimum...

 

[Sean2tall]

taking this thread in a different direction, how many interviews should on go to to safely match (assuming you rank every program you interview at) ? Ive got 2 interviews so far, but havent hear from anyone in 2 weeks! i applied to alot of programs, when should I worry?

If you look at the "Charting Outcomes in the Match" document from 2007, it shows that there were no US Seniors with rank lists of 9 or longer who didn't match (Pathology). However, with rank lists of 4-8, there was only 1 in each who didn't match. So, I guess the moral of the story is that your likelihood is quite good if you are a US senior with about 4-5 ranked places or more. You can find that document here:

http://www.nrmp.org/data/chartingoutcomes2007.pdf

 

[deschutes]

Got back to the hub today and had a chat with our residency coordinator - we've received over 200 applications, well over our number for last year at this point in the cycle.

The plateau is not yet in sight!

We're also doing batched interviews this year, with a big residents-applicants dinner the night before. Should be interesting - the way speed-dating is interesting.

 

[Tiki]

😱 Why do I have to apply the year there are a record number of applications?

On a good note, I scheduled my Duke and UNC interviews back to back on a Thursday and Friday. Then, the following Monday I have my MUSC interview, so I get to spend a weekend in South Carolina. Thinking of hitting up either Myrtle Beach for the weekend, or just spending it in Charleston. Anyone know either of those areas and have an idea on which would give me more to do?

 

[Aubrey]

😱 Why do I have to apply the year there are a record number of applications?

On a good note, I scheduled my Duke and UNC interviews back to back on a Thursday and Friday. Then, the following Monday I have my MUSC interview, so I get to spend a weekend in South Carolina. Thinking of hitting up either Myrtle Beach for the weekend, or just spending it in Charleston. Anyone know either of those areas and have an idea on which would give me more to do?

Unless you want to get in 4 or 5 rounds of golf, you should have a more interesting time of it in Charleston.. its a fun city to just wander around in.

 

[mlw03]

Unless you want to get in 4 or 5 rounds of golf, you should have a more interesting time of it in Charleston.. its a fun city to just wander around in.

i'll second aubrey, tiki. charleston is a lovely place to just meander about for a few days, especially down near the water. there are some very cute restaurants and coffee shops. there's a little stretch that looks just like the French Quarter, and even has the French-sounding street names like "Rue de ____". they also have an aquarium which i didn't have time to go into, but looked quite impressive from the outside. also within the downtown area is a very nice public library if you need to get online to check email or review the MUSC program website.

 

[neurotrancer]

How good is Cedars Sinai in L.A. for path? I have so far gotten interviews at Univ. New Mexico, Cedars Sinai, Univ. Vt, Orlando Regional, and Northwestern McGaw Hill. Unfortunately, I don't really know anything much about these programs and how I might rank them. Any advice would be most appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Tiki]

Thanks, Aubrey and mlw. I made the reservation for Charleston. Should be fun to spend the weekend there.

 

[Pathrough]

I spoke to a PD. He asked me, why do you choose path? I said that I love path. He asked further, what specific aspects of path do you love? I said path is to investigate diseases, peel off the surface of a disease and see the deep by all kinds of techniques, ... but nothing seem convincing. It is really difficult to specify the reason why I love path. How do you guys answer this qs? And he also asked me what qualities a successful pathologist should have? hard-working, carefulness, ... I have no idea what the PD wants. How do y guys think?

 

[mlw03]

Hello everyone!

I am new in this process and have submitted my application 9/27. I have gotten only 3 IVs so far at UPitt, UWSL, DH (NH). I have applied broadly but I am considering more programs. Do you guys think I should wait more to apply to more programs or should I send more applications now? Thanks for your comments. 🙄

first off, we need more information. UWSL is WashU? DH is Dartmouth? to better consider your question, i would ask you the following: how many places did you apply to? american or foreign grad? research experience? decent scores? prior pathology experience? those are 3 solid programs, so to get interviews from them implies you've done something right. however the match data from 2007 shows that to be fairly safe to match, one should rank at least 5 or 6 programs, so one would need at least that many interviews. after you provide us with some more info i think we'll be better able to comment on your situation.

 

[Path08]

first off, we need more information. UWSL is WashU? DH is Dartmouth? to better consider your question, i would ask you the following: how many places did you apply to? american or foreign grad? research experience? decent scores? prior pathology experience? those are 3 solid programs, so to get interviews from them implies you've done something right. however the match data from 2007 shows that to be fairly safe to match, one should rank at least 5 or 6 programs, so one would need at least that many interviews. after you provide us with some more info i think we'll be better able to comment on your situation.

Thanks for your comments. Sorry for the missunderstandings regarding the programs. I am a FMG, 2001. Complete residency in Urology abroad 2005, research experience, 3 US lors from path, scores 96/97/pass/84. Applied to 35 programs late sept. only 3 invites so far. WashU, Darmouth and UPitt. Your comments are appreciated. 🙂

 

[mlw03]

Thanks for your comments. Sorry for the missunderstandings regarding the programs. I am a FMG, 2001. Complete residency in Urology abroad 2005, research experience, 3 US lors from path, scores 96/97/pass/84. Applied to 35 programs late sept. only 3 invites so far. WashU, Darmouth and UPitt. Your comments are appreciated. 🙂

your numbers are certainly solid (although i'm not sure what the 84 refers to, but those step 1 and 2 scores are strong), and your interviews thus far certainly reflect that. i have 2 main comments for you. 1) you only turned in a complete application about a week and a half ago. we have no way to know how often invites are being sent out. our interviews thread gives a sampling of who's sending out interview invites, but it's certainly not complete. 2) you need to very carefully look at the requirements for each program you applied to because i think some favor FMGs who are less than X years out of med school (X varying among programs, of course). this wasn't something i paid much attention to as a US senior, but i did notice such a statement on many program's website. hopefully you didn't waste your money applying to a program that only considers FMGs who are 5 years or less out of med school, or something like that.

all that said, 35 programs applied to for someone with those credentials seems like it'd be enough. hopefully some of the more senior members of the forum will chime in, perhaps some of the FMGs who've gone through what you're attempting. best of luck to you!

 

[Path08]

Thanks for your feedback and positive comments. 84 is for step 3. I will wait a week or so more before applying to more porgrams. Good luck to all of you too.👍

 

[Jesmine]

I have some very naive Qs as an IMG: How many surg path specimens/year do you guys think is good enough for a solid training? What is the major drawback of being trained in a community hospital (vs University center) other than no research opportunities? Does the lack of one subspecialty training (eg. dermpath) really matter when you look for fellowship or job?

 

[pathgrrl]

I'm mostly a lurker, but these are the programs I'm applying to:
Penn
Hopkins
Duke
UNC
Emory
Vandy
WashU
UCSF
Stanford
UWash-Seattle

I'm an MD/PhD interested in heme or renal path. I'm looking for programs with a balanced/developed CP curriculum, and ample research opportunities. Any place I'm missing or nearby to the others I should add on?

 

[JPR22]

If you look at the "Charting Outcomes in the Match" document from 2007, it shows that there were no US Seniors with rank lists of 9 or longer who didn't match (Pathology). However, with rank lists of 4-8, there was only 1 in each who didn't match. So, I guess the moral of the story is that your likelihood is quite good if you are a US senior with about 4-5 ranked places or more. You can find that document here:

http://www.nrmp.org/data/chartingoutcomes2007.pdf

Im starting to worry. Only 2 interviews to date. I got my first ERAS message in 2 weeks and it was a rejection🙁

 

[mlw03]

sorry to hear that JPR. keep your chin up. here's sending some good karma (My Name is Earl style) your way.

 

[docbiohazard]

I'm mostly a lurker, but these are the programs I'm applying to:
Penn
Hopkins
Duke
UNC
Emory
Vandy
WashU
UCSF
Stanford
UWash-Seattle

I'm an MD/PhD interested in heme or renal path. I'm looking for programs with a balanced/developed CP curriculum, and ample research opportunities. Any place I'm missing or nearby to the others I should add on?

Curious as to why you've left out all the Boston programs... don't like Boston? 🙂

BH

 

[mlw03]

she also left off NYC and Chicago programs, where there are also some programs up in that same tier as the places on her list. maybe she's like me and doesn't want to live in a major megatropolis?

 

[docbiohazard]

she also left off NYC and Chicago programs, where there are also some programs up in that same tier as the places on her list. maybe she's like me and doesn't want to live in a major megatropolis?

Wouldn't that rule out Penn, Hopkins, Emory, UCSF, UWash-Seattle?

Given the proximity of Penn, that makes me most curious... 🙂

BH

 

[mlw03]

Wouldn't that rule out Penn, Hopkins, Emory, UCSF, UWash-Seattle?

Given the proximity of Penn, that makes me most curious... 🙂

BH

NYC, Chicago, and LA are in a class of their own in my opinion. but yeah, i agree Atlanta and Philly are certainly bigger than Boston. personally, i think Baltimore is also a bit smaller. As for Seattle, talk to me in 10 days, as I'm going out there for the first time on Wednesday to visit a friend for a week and interview at UW.

 

[HCE]

Im starting to worry. Only 2 interviews to date. I got my first ERAS message in 2 weeks and it was a rejection🙁

JPR, I hear you, but, if i'm not mistaken, this would still be considered early...hang tough...

 

[JPR22]

sorry to hear that JPR. keep your chin up. here's sending some good karma (My Name is Earl style) your way.

thanks for the Karma! After a rejection 2 days ago, and a "we've received your application" yesterday, I finally got an invite.🙂

 

[Sean2tall]

Ok, so the discussion on this has long since been buried deep in one of these threads, but I was able to finally get confirmation that Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh is in fact not taking applications this year. The response I got is that they will not have spots this year, but they will have 4 spots next year. I am guessing that they don't have many/any people graduating and any that they do have were filled outside the match?

Good luck all,
Sean

 

[JPR22]

Ok, so the discussion on this has long since been buried deep in one of these threads, but I was able to finally get confirmation that Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh is in fact not taking applications this year. The response I got is that they will not have spots this year, but they will have 4 spots next year. I am guessing that they don't have many/any people graduating and any that they do have were filled outside the match?

Good luck all,
Sean

Ive heard the same thing,but why do they continue to download stuff from ERAS?

 

[Sean2tall]

Ive heard the same thing,but why do they continue to download stuff from ERAS?

What I understand about ERAS is that, as a program, applications automatically download whenever you open the ERAS software. What I don't know is why places don't just remove themselves from the list for years that they aren't accepting. My guess is that it is too much hassle or paperwork or something to do that.